1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of power monitoring and quality monitoring systems and more particularly to the field of transient detector systems and particularly to the field of transient detectors having the ability to measure the peak amplitude of both positive and negative transient voltages occurring on a static signal or voltage level and, in addition, the ability to measure the pulse width of these transients.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A patent application titled "TRANSIENT DETECTOR APPARATUS" was filed by the U.S. Government having Ser. No. 452,602 on Dec. 23, 1982, the inventors being H. J. Murphy and M. L. Lapeyrolerie. The subject matter of this earlier invention solves the problem of measuring the amplitude of transient voltages present on data signals having first and second logic states. The invention of Ser. No. 452,602 is of interest because it is in the same field and has one common inventor with the present application; however, it has a block diagram topology unlike that of the present invention largest amplitude transient detector. In addition, the transient detector apparatus application having Ser. No. 452,602 does not address solving the problem of measuring the last largest positive and negative transient voltage amplitudes on the same static level and of measuring and storing the corresponding transient durations within a sample interval.
Systems are known, in the art, that characterize the amplitude of transient voltages and static voltage levels, and make this data available at a later time. These systems store only the first data item which may not be the largest transient signal to occur within the monitor period. This invention saves only information relating to the last largest positive and negative transient voltages to have been detected on a static level, within the monitoring interval.